


Your Definition of 'Fairest'

by MzyraJane



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-04-07 07:12:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19080070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MzyraJane/pseuds/MzyraJane
Summary: Snow White-based AU (apparently fairytales can be my thing)Note: THIS IS WAY MORE BRAIME THAN LANNICEST, PROBABLY NOT FOR CERSEI SUPERFANS.After years of being told by her magic mirror that she is the fairest of them all, Cersei has been told that some 'Brienne of Tarth' is fairer than her?! So it's Jaime's mission to find this beautiful woman and put an end to her. Jaime struggles to find anyone by that description, but does find a poor homely daughter of a lord to keep him company while he looks.A couple of years before OTL, so Brienne's just turned 16 and turned up on the mirror's radar. Also Jaime's crimes are more of a rumour than a widely-established fact.





	Your Definition of 'Fairest'

**Author's Note:**

  * For [janie_tangerine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/janie_tangerine/gifts).



It really was an unnecessary habit, but what was the point of having a magical mirror if not to use it? Cersei had dismissed all of her servants and swept aside the curtains hiding it with a flourish.

"Awaken, my mirror."

A faint shape of a face appeared on its silvery surface. "Good morning, your Grace. You look as radiant as ever." The mirror always said that, but then Cersei knew that it was always true.

"Tell me, mirror, who is the fairest lady in all of the Seven Kingdoms?" She could hear the answer in her mind, as she had heard it a thousand times before: 'Why yourself, your Grace. Queen Cersei Lannister, known as the Light of the West, for her astounding beauty."

The answer did not come outside of her mind.

She frowned. "Mirror? Did you not hear my question?"

The mirror was hesitant. "I did, your Grace. Though... there has been an expected change in the usual answer." Cersei stared at it. "But rest assured, you are naturally next most fair-"

" _ **WHO**_ -" Cersei calmed herself slightly and forced a smile. "And who might that be, pray tell? She must be very fair indeed." Her mind was already flicking through the options of fair noble women she had heard of: Catelyn Stark? But she was in her thirties and couldn't be _that_ attractive now if her cow of a sister Lysa Arryn was anything to go by...

"Her name is Brienne of Tarth."

 _Who?_ "Tarth as in the island of the coast of the Stormlands?"

"Yes, your Grace."

Cersei searched her brain for anything else she knew about the place and its people. It didn't turn out much. "And you say she is fairer than me now?"

"Yes, your Grace," the mirror said with a hint of regret and trepidation in its voice.

"Well. We shall see about that."

 

\-----------------------------------------------

 

Jaime stopped kissing Cersei's neck to groan at her suggestion, "Why should I care to go to Tarth unless you're going too?"

"I'm telling you, there's a plot against me-"

"I can protect you here. At your side. Between your thighs..."

Cersei pushed him away to glare him in the face. "Not all plots are so simple, Jaime! They don't always involve men coming with swords that you can cut down!"

"I'll cut down the plotters too, they'll have to come to-"

"Not all of them! I know the name of the mastermind, and I don't think she will expose herself so openly."

Jaime found himself pulling a face, "A woman? How can she pose so large a threat that I should cut her down?"

Cersei's glare got colder, "You don't understand what women are capable of, Jaime. She means to replace me, and you know how Robert feels. If we are exposed, don't doubt that my and our children's heads won't be sliced off in an instant!"

That _was_ an ever-present possibility. "I could stop Robert-"

Cersei's eyes had begun to fill with tears, "How can you say that? How can you take such a risk with our lives, with _my_ life? You just dismiss what I say - don't you _love me?_ "

"Of _course_ I-" Jaime sighed. "Alright, fine, I will go to Tarth and find this... _woman_. Who is she?"

Cersei's eyes cleared quickly. "Brienne of Tarth. That is her name. I don't know all the details, but she's the head of a plot against me, I swear it. And be wary - they say she's very beautiful, so she may try to seduce you against me."

Jaime couldn't help but snort. "You may rest assured _that_ won't happen. I, more than anyone else in all the Seven Kingdoms, know that you are the most beautiful and perfect lady in existence."

Cersei smiled. "Good. Be back soon, and you will be rewarded."

 

\------------------------------------------------

 

It was easy to agree to things when Jaime was in Cersei's arms, but it wasn't uncommon that he felt miserable whilst actually doing them. Tarth was a nice enough location - with the bright blue of the seas and skies, and the deep green of the plantlife - but it was hard to appreciate it while anticipating killing a woman you'd never met. Jaime had tried to picture her, but struggled on the details of her appearance. Most of the schemers he was aware of were men, not women, though he supposed she _would_ have to be beautiful to lure men into a plot so clear to fail as one against all the might of Casterly Rock and especially his own right arm.

The pretense was that he was here on vaguely royal - or perhaps Lannister - business. Sometimes it served not to give specifics, let the lords imagine for themselves. Perhaps he was surveying eligible ladies for the young prince? Perhaps he was investigating plots or corruption. Let them do the mental legwork.

And so it was that he got to meet Lord Selwyn. It had occurred to Jaime that 'Brienne of Tarth' might be Lord Selwyn's new wife after so long a widower, but it appeared he was as much a bachelor as ever.

Whatever Lord Selwyn knew, or did not know, he was welcoming enough: "Ser Jaime! Welcome to Evenfall Hall and our fair island! I do not believe you have visited Tarth before, have you?"

Jaime forced his own smile, "No, my lord. I fear that it is a long journey from Casterley Rock, and my royal responsibilities have prevented me making the journey until now."

"I do hope it is worth your while! I assume this is for some kind of... royal business?"

Jaime tried to keep his face impassive. "There is always royal business to be done."

"I am certain, I am certain. Well, should you require any assistance in your duty, you need only ask and I will provide what I can."

"Hm. Well, you know I made better time than we had expected on the journey-"

"Oh yes, beautiful calm water these past couple of days, it's not always safe to cross immediately otherwise."

"So I'm sure I would be permitted to rest this evening, enjoy the sights. Perhaps I can recommend it for a progress."

"Oh, certainly, certainly!" He seemed very eager for a man who might be in on a treasonous plot. "The servants have made up a room for you in the South Tower - it has a window to the east with beautiful views in the morning, especially with weather as we've had recently."

"Are there any other Tarths about the castle?" Jaime did his best to remain casual. "I heard mention of a 'Brienne of Tarth' on the journey...?"

A dozen different emotions seemed to flick across Lord Selwyn's face, "Oh, uh, yes, that would be my daughter Brienne. My only surviving child now. I'm- I'm sure you will see her at some meal time or other - we've arranged a feast tonight, of course, I'll ensure everyone of note-"

Jaime only half-listened to the rest of his babbling as Lord Selwyn led the way toward the South Tower. In the absence of a wife it was common for a grown daughter to take up responsibilities such as greeting noble guests, and yet Lord Selwyn had seemingly hidden her away from his view. Perhaps he knew what she was up to, or suspected it. He supposed it could be possible that a father might become aware of a plot he disapproved of and hide the child away to prevent it... Or he knew and supported it and didn't want to expose her to danger. He'd have to see what he could find out at the feast.

 

\-------------------------------------------

 

Jaime briefly contemplated wearing armour beneath his clothes as he dressed for the feast, but dismissed it. He was sure it wouldn't be difficult to grab Lord Selwyn or his daughter as hostages if a fight broke out, and he was sure he would be the best sword in the room. Especially since he would wear a sword, for 'decorative purposes' if anyone asked.

He felt near as paranoid as Cersei as he went to the feast, eyeing everybody for clues of ill-intentions. There was nothing concrete, but everything made him wonder. He preferred war; it was easier when your opponents marked themselves clearly with different sigils on the other side of a battlefield.

When he entered he saw Lord Selwyn was already sat at the dais talking to somebody on his left, with an empty seat to his right, and when Lord Selwyn spotted him he was welcomed to it as the guest of honour.

"Ser Jaime! You are just in time - they are just about to serve the first course. I daresay the Red Keep has the very best chefs in all the realm, but I like to think ours could give them a good run for their money!" he laughed heartily.

"I hope so. You said you would introduce me to your notable guests?"

"Ah, yes. Well, here to my left is Brus Buckler, cousin to the current Lord of Bronzegate; he's been here for a few days already. And to your right you will find my dear daughter Brienne, who you had heard of earlier."

Jaime held his amiable expression on his face as he turned from one side to the other, but his jaw dropped when he saw her. _Cersei's got the wrong woman_. If you could call the girl a woman. Well, she had something of a woman's shape, the dress she wore was doing its best to make that apparent, but it didn't have a lot to work with. And beneath lank straw-blonde hair, and above prominent teeth, the girl couldn't seem to lift her eyes to look at him. _Cersei's **definitely** got the wrong woman_.

"Er, apologies Ser Jaime, Brienne can be quite shy," Lord Selwyn tried to sound light-hearted, "Brienne, I know you recall your courtesies..."

She swallowed. "G- Good evening, Ser. A- Are you en- enjoying our weather?"

 _Seven Hells_ , no wonder Lord Selwyn didn't roll her out to welcome guests. Still, this poor girl was no threat to Cersei, so at least he could let his guard down. "It is very fine weather, my lady. You have a most beautiful home."

"Th- Thank you, Ser." She returned her gaze to the table in front of her and Jaime wouldn't have been surprised if she never said another thing the whole evening. Just as well; it gave him time to think.

Cersei had been _sure_ there was a beautiful Brienne of Tarth plotting against her, but this girl was nobody's definition of 'beautiful', and all he could see her plotting was how to get back to her chambers as soon as possible. Something had to be wrong about what Cersei had said, but what part? Was Brienne the wrong name? But there were scarce few women of noble birth around here of _any_ name that he could see. Perhaps there was another Brienne on Tarth, Brienne _on_ Tarth, or Brienne _from_ Tarth. Or it may not have been Tarth at all, but surely Cersei wouldn't have sent him all the way here otherwise. He wished he could send her a raven, but he didn't want to risk the maester reading it and people finding out the ridiculous truth that he had suspected this poor homely girl of being some kind of threat to Queen Cersei Lannister. Perhaps he'd do a tour of the island to check for any devious and beautiful Briennes, and then find an excuse to return early...

"S- Ser, that is a real sword, isn't it?"

Jaime was so surprised to hear here speak again that it took him a moment to register what she'd said. "Hm?"

She was looking him in the eyes now, and he was glad to notice that she had one feature in her favour - eyes as bright blue as the sea he'd crossed to get here. "That's a real sword, not d- decorative."

Jaime looked down at the sword on his hip. "Ah, yes. Well, when you travel, sometimes you must needs make do with one sword for both purposes. I'm sure that your Lord father would allow no reason to cause me to need to draw it at dinner."

She blushed and looked down again. "O- of course."

Jaime felt sorry for her, and Lord Selwyn seemed engaged by the food and Brus Buckler, so he tried to continue the conversation. "Still, it is not every lady who would even notice the difference."

"I t- tried to use a decorative sword once," she said quietly. "It broke."

Jaime tried not to laugh at the mental image. "What were you trying to do with it?"

She took a while to answer, "They'd locked away the real swords, it was the only one I could find."

This Brienne was a queer creature. "You like swords?"

"I- My father eventually agreed that I could be t-trained. Our master-at-arms says I'm quite good."

"Huh." Jaime supposed that if a woman couldn't have good looks, they might seek refuge in more unconventional hobbies. Perhaps it stopped people laughing if she could threaten them with a sword. And she did have a fairly broad frame, moreso than any woman he'd seen before, so that probably helped.

"Are you truly the greatest sword in all the Seven Kingdoms?"

It occurred to Jaime that it was a shame that this poor girl was not a boy - that question reminded him of himself as a child, talking to the Blackfish at Riverrun. She might have made a good squire herself. He smiled, "It has been said. I confess I have not tested my sword against every man in the land, but nobody has given me any reason to believe otherwise."

"It must be incredible to be in the Kingsguard."

Well, _that_ wasn't entirely true. "It's... certainly an achievement." Poor girl probably wished _she_ could be in the Kingsguard. Then she wouldn't have to worry about getting a husband despite her looks. "You know, perhaps - if your father agrees - I could give you some lessons? It can't hurt for the future Lady and leader of Tarth to have some skill to defend herself and her people..."

Her blue eyes went wide as saucers. "Oh, please Ser! I- So many of the men and boys... They won't take me seriously. They'll refuse to fight me, because I _would_ beat them, but... with a member of the _Kingsguard_..."

He couldn't help but smile, "Well, I only train the best and purest of maidens."

And her smile felt like it cleaned just a little of the dirt off of his soul.


End file.
